"What is this?"
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Why has Microsoft abandoned the incredibly useful 'What is this?' help that used to be found in almost every dialog? Previously you would click on the '?' button on a dialog's control bar then click on a control, and it would helpfully popup with a paragraph or two describing what that control did, what you need to enter there, etc. Now it just launches an entire help file, and you have dig through pages of links and information to find the help relevant to the control you want. Microsoft used to have both a '?' and a 'Help' button on all their dialogs. Now they seem to be killing off all the help buttons and raping the 'What is this?' help to take their place. X| If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO. :( Is there any official justification given for this?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Why has Microsoft abandoned the incredibly useful 'What is this?' help that used to be found in almost every dialog? Previously you would click on the '?' button on a dialog's control bar then click on a control, and it would helpfully popup with a paragraph or two describing what that control did, what you need to enter there, etc. Now it just launches an entire help file, and you have dig through pages of links and information to find the help relevant to the control you want. Microsoft used to have both a '?' and a 'Help' button on all their dialogs. Now they seem to be killing off all the help buttons and raping the 'What is this?' help to take their place. X| If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO. :( Is there any official justification given for this?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkI've only seen this in Visual Studio - Do other products do this too?
Upcoming events: * Glasgow Geek Dinner (5th March) * Glasgow: Tell us what you want to see in 2007 My: Website | Blog | Photos
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I've only seen this in Visual Studio - Do other products do this too?
Upcoming events: * Glasgow Geek Dinner (5th March) * Glasgow: Tell us what you want to see in 2007 My: Website | Blog | Photos
As you've said, all the Visual Studio stuff does this (including everything based on it such as SQL Server Management Studio), but so does Office, Internet Explorer, and all of their other flagship products. I can't find any 'What is this?' buttons in Vista as an OS.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Why has Microsoft abandoned the incredibly useful 'What is this?' help that used to be found in almost every dialog? Previously you would click on the '?' button on a dialog's control bar then click on a control, and it would helpfully popup with a paragraph or two describing what that control did, what you need to enter there, etc. Now it just launches an entire help file, and you have dig through pages of links and information to find the help relevant to the control you want. Microsoft used to have both a '?' and a 'Help' button on all their dialogs. Now they seem to be killing off all the help buttons and raping the 'What is this?' help to take their place. X| If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO. :( Is there any official justification given for this?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkWhat I don't like is clicking "What is this?" for a button and getting "That's a button; you can press it."
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What I don't like is clicking "What is this?" for a button and getting "That's a button; you can press it."
I've never seen that, but I don't doubt some apps did it. The Microsoft ones were usually pretty good, often giving you examples and even background into what a specific option would do. Now it it is just a nightmare. I've given up trawling through Microsoft's help files (some of their dialogs will just take you to the main help page - they are not context aware at all) and just Google for the name of the dialog and control to get the information I need.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Why has Microsoft abandoned the incredibly useful 'What is this?' help that used to be found in almost every dialog? Previously you would click on the '?' button on a dialog's control bar then click on a control, and it would helpfully popup with a paragraph or two describing what that control did, what you need to enter there, etc. Now it just launches an entire help file, and you have dig through pages of links and information to find the help relevant to the control you want. Microsoft used to have both a '?' and a 'Help' button on all their dialogs. Now they seem to be killing off all the help buttons and raping the 'What is this?' help to take their place. X| If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO. :( Is there any official justification given for this?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkI think it is one of those things Microsoft thought everyone would embrace, but few did. Now it is time to weed the garden so to say..
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: New enhancements to VS WYSIWYG! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
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I think it is one of those things Microsoft thought everyone would embrace, but few did. Now it is time to weed the garden so to say..
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: New enhancements to VS WYSIWYG! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
Is there any research behind that? Even my mother used to use 'What is this?' help, and she needs help to send an e-mail.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Is there any research behind that? Even my mother used to use 'What is this?' help, and she needs help to send an e-mail.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkJust that most applications I have used few have ever implemented the feature. Most of the time I see anything with it, the message was so generic that it was useless.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: New enhancements to VS WYSIWYG! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
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Why has Microsoft abandoned the incredibly useful 'What is this?' help that used to be found in almost every dialog? Previously you would click on the '?' button on a dialog's control bar then click on a control, and it would helpfully popup with a paragraph or two describing what that control did, what you need to enter there, etc. Now it just launches an entire help file, and you have dig through pages of links and information to find the help relevant to the control you want. Microsoft used to have both a '?' and a 'Help' button on all their dialogs. Now they seem to be killing off all the help buttons and raping the 'What is this?' help to take their place. X| If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO. :( Is there any official justification given for this?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk2 days ago; I decided to downlowd OpenOffice (instead if a copy of MS Office - hope you will not denie me:rolleyes:rolleyes:). And it looks good!!! Yesterday I downloaded IE7, because the security-center of MS asked me to do so. And now, alwys i press Alt-F4 the entire explorer is closed instead of the actuel window like it's been before (only one point!!). So I consider to ownload FireFox now. I don't know why MS is displeasing the users like this at the moment.:confused:
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2 days ago; I decided to downlowd OpenOffice (instead if a copy of MS Office - hope you will not denie me:rolleyes:rolleyes:). And it looks good!!! Yesterday I downloaded IE7, because the security-center of MS asked me to do so. And now, alwys i press Alt-F4 the entire explorer is closed instead of the actuel window like it's been before (only one point!!). So I consider to ownload FireFox now. I don't know why MS is displeasing the users like this at the moment.:confused:
Alt-F4 has *ALWAYS* closed the entire application. If you want to close only one of the sub-windows (MDI children as they were called, or their new incarnation, tabs) use Ctrl-F4 instead... S.L.
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Alt-F4 has *ALWAYS* closed the entire application. If you want to close only one of the sub-windows (MDI children as they were called, or their new incarnation, tabs) use Ctrl-F4 instead... S.L.
I used Alt-F4 to close the actual window, but that is not the problem. It's one of many points. Another - I had my favorits on the right side, now I don't have. And the most imporant one - I want to have the Google-bar. I was asked to choose a search-engine while downloading, but google was not there!!
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I used Alt-F4 to close the actual window, but that is not the problem. It's one of many points. Another - I had my favorits on the right side, now I don't have. And the most imporant one - I want to have the Google-bar. I was asked to choose a search-engine while downloading, but google was not there!!
ensger wrote:
I used Alt-F4 to close the actual window, but that is not the problem. It's one of many points.
What is the issue you have with ALT+F4? It is not clear from your messages. ALT+F4 will *always* close the entire application [window], whether it is IE, Firefox, or anything else. If you want to close only one window/tab then the shortcut is and always has been CTRL+F4.
ensger wrote:
want to have the Google-bar. I was asked to choose a search-engine while downloading, but google was not there!!
Do you mean the Google Toolbar, or having Google in the built-in IE7 toolbar? Because if it is the latter, then you just add it in from the menu. It takes all of five seconds and Google is your default search provider. :confused:
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
ensger wrote:
I used Alt-F4 to close the actual window, but that is not the problem. It's one of many points.
What is the issue you have with ALT+F4? It is not clear from your messages. ALT+F4 will *always* close the entire application [window], whether it is IE, Firefox, or anything else. If you want to close only one window/tab then the shortcut is and always has been CTRL+F4.
ensger wrote:
want to have the Google-bar. I was asked to choose a search-engine while downloading, but google was not there!!
Do you mean the Google Toolbar, or having Google in the built-in IE7 toolbar? Because if it is the latter, then you just add it in from the menu. It takes all of five seconds and Google is your default search provider. :confused:
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Click on the drop down button next to the search box, and click on Find more providers. Google will be near the top of the page that is returned - tick it and submit the page. That is all. http://www.codeproject.com/script/profile/upload/1363/FindProviders.jpg[^]
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Click on the drop down button next to the search box, and click on Find more providers. Google will be near the top of the page that is returned - tick it and submit the page. That is all. http://www.codeproject.com/script/profile/upload/1363/FindProviders.jpg[^]
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkMaybe I have to try a litle bit more. I now see on the right side an option to choose Google. But I have to choose it every time I start the explorer. Standard is 'Live Search(Standard)'. But maybe I can change - I'll try. Thanks, Gerhard PS: I found it. It's been a little hard, cause I'm using the german version. But thanks's again;)
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ensger wrote:
I used Alt-F4 to close the actual window, but that is not the problem. It's one of many points.
What is the issue you have with ALT+F4? It is not clear from your messages. ALT+F4 will *always* close the entire application [window], whether it is IE, Firefox, or anything else. If you want to close only one window/tab then the shortcut is and always has been CTRL+F4.
ensger wrote:
want to have the Google-bar. I was asked to choose a search-engine while downloading, but google was not there!!
Do you mean the Google Toolbar, or having Google in the built-in IE7 toolbar? Because if it is the latter, then you just add it in from the menu. It takes all of five seconds and Google is your default search provider. :confused:
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkDavid Wulff wrote:
ALT+F4 will *always* close the entire application
Actually, if you have IE6 (which I'm still using), and you have two windows open (eg: one on CodeProject, and one on Google), pressing Alt+F4 will only close the IE window that has the focus. In my example, if I'm looking at the Google window and press Alt+F4, it will just close that window - the Code Project IE window stays open. I guess IE6 opens multiple instances of itself (incidentally, I notice that Word 2003 reacts this way to Alt+F4 too). Anyway, that's what the original poster is complaining about. HTH. :)
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David Wulff wrote:
ALT+F4 will *always* close the entire application
Actually, if you have IE6 (which I'm still using), and you have two windows open (eg: one on CodeProject, and one on Google), pressing Alt+F4 will only close the IE window that has the focus. In my example, if I'm looking at the Google window and press Alt+F4, it will just close that window - the Code Project IE window stays open. I guess IE6 opens multiple instances of itself (incidentally, I notice that Word 2003 reacts this way to Alt+F4 too). Anyway, that's what the original poster is complaining about. HTH. :)
Perhaps I poorly worded it -- better would have been 'application window'. A window is a frame, if a window has the desktop as its parent then I would consider it a separate application window. If a window has the same application as its parent then it is a child window. Office (since Office 2000) and IE6 are exclusively MTI (Multiple Top-Level Interface) applications, IE7 when using tabs is an MDI application. In IE7 each tab is within the same application window, so the behaviour of ALT+F4 is the same in both IE6, IE7, and most other Windows applications. If you open a new window in IE7, rather than a new tab, then again ALT+F4 will consistently close the entire application window.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
Maybe I have to try a litle bit more. I now see on the right side an option to choose Google. But I have to choose it every time I start the explorer. Standard is 'Live Search(Standard)'. But maybe I can change - I'll try. Thanks, Gerhard PS: I found it. It's been a little hard, cause I'm using the german version. But thanks's again;)
Select "Change Search Defaults" from that menu (bottom option). In the dialog, select Google, then click Set Default. Then click OK. Now Google will be the default search provider.
Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder
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Why has Microsoft abandoned the incredibly useful 'What is this?' help that used to be found in almost every dialog? Previously you would click on the '?' button on a dialog's control bar then click on a control, and it would helpfully popup with a paragraph or two describing what that control did, what you need to enter there, etc. Now it just launches an entire help file, and you have dig through pages of links and information to find the help relevant to the control you want. Microsoft used to have both a '?' and a 'Help' button on all their dialogs. Now they seem to be killing off all the help buttons and raping the 'What is this?' help to take their place. X| If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO. :( Is there any official justification given for this?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkDavid Wulff wrote:
If Microsoft are already doing it then context-sensitive help is all but dead now. It is a shame, and a real backwards step IMO.
Was easier to drop support than come out with a halfway decent way to create HTML help. :~ :rolleyes:
I'd love to help, but unfortunatley I have prior commitments monitoring the length of my grass. :Andrew Bleakley:
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ensger wrote:
I used Alt-F4 to close the actual window, but that is not the problem. It's one of many points.
What is the issue you have with ALT+F4? It is not clear from your messages. ALT+F4 will *always* close the entire application [window], whether it is IE, Firefox, or anything else. If you want to close only one window/tab then the shortcut is and always has been CTRL+F4.
ensger wrote:
want to have the Google-bar. I was asked to choose a search-engine while downloading, but google was not there!!
Do you mean the Google Toolbar, or having Google in the built-in IE7 toolbar? Because if it is the latter, then you just add it in from the menu. It takes all of five seconds and Google is your default search provider. :confused:
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk
